Deb Marcinski, a 24-year veteran of the parks, leads the
hike. Marcinski notes that abundant St. Patrick's Day green – in the form of
emerging ferns, flowers and other plants – will be on display.

Marcinski says that wildflowers are popping up a week or
more ahead of schedule due to the warm weather. She cautions that hikers should
expect few actual flowers, though young shoots and leaves can be easily spotted. Nevertheless, Marcinski comments that coltsfoot and Pennsylvania
bittercress are already in bloom at North Chagrin Reservation
(Marcinski's home base), which typically remains colder much longer than the
Euclid Creek valley.

Marcinski explains that Lake Erie's moderating effect keeps
temperatures milder at Euclid Creek Reservation, which sits along the lake
plain, than in the uplands of North Chagrin. Moreover, the Euclid
Creek valley provides shelter for fragile young plants and the park's steep
slopes are warmed by the sun (when it shines).

Marcinski plans to guide hikers through the woodlands along
the Squirrel Run Trail and then return on the All-Purpose Trail, which affords
outstanding views of the creek itself. She relates that several migratory birds
have returned to northeast Ohio in recent weeks. Red-tailed hawks, fox sparrows
and an array of winter birds provide just a few of Saturday's possible wildlife
sightings.

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